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Postscript for the novelScience fiction is often used as a tool to explore a possible future. Science fiction can also be used to explore in metaphor certain fundamental principles that are normally obscured by conventions and myths or for political objectives. In addition, the writing of fiction can be interwoven with aspects of the real world in such a manner that a number of fictional elements appear real, while real elements appear fictional as this happens so often in life. All of these elements have been utilized in this novel. In Chapter 1, Wreck Beach University, the point is explored that war is fundamentally a human-relationships problem, rather than a technological problem. Therefore it cannot be resolved as a technological issue. In fact, any attempt to address technologically what is not a technological problem covers up the real issue. This covering-up process is metaphorically countered in the novel in a nudist beach story. In Chapter 2 and 3, Emergency Mission and Unity, a surreal sense of social unity is brought to light that appears totally fictional, but represents nevertheless some profound elements of truth. Some of these elements were put on the table by America's spiritual pioneer of the 19th and 20th Century, Mary Baker Eddy with her discovery of the divine Principle of scientific mental healing. In Chapter 4, The Incompetence of the King, the focus is put on the question of democracy, but not in the way that democracy is commonly understood. It comes to light as something far greater than a process of counting votes and running an elected government. It is understood as a process of taking responsibility in an active manner by society itself, for itself. The end-result is that society IS the real king and needs to regard itself in that manner, and the elected President or leader must therefore be regarded as a servant in office by design. This essential concept of democracy appears to have become rather fictional in our time. But why should it be that? In Chapter 5 and 6, Our Seashore Paradise and Shadow in the Night, a nuclear cruise missile is launched against the USA. The story is complete fiction of course. In the story the nation is ultimately saved by the effort of two 'little' people who took responsibility to protect the nation. They stepped across all the established barriers and did what was necessary in the moment of this crisis to save the country. Acts such as these appears rather fictional. Society is no longer thinking in terms of taking responsibility for the general welfare of itself as a nation, much less of humanity as a whole. People have become too wrapped up in little issues and blind to the processes that its existence depends on. When a crisis erupts they simply protest. But in a ten minute nuclear war that convention breaks down. While the story and its heroism is fictional, the danger isn't that mankind has created for itself by refusing to take the responsibility to live profoundly as human beings. In Chapter 7, Unto the Top of the World, the question of strategic defense is explored. In this case the focus is on America's (by now) long-forgotten SDI program. The question is asked whether a missile defense system is invariably a provocation, or whether it can actually save mankind if it is developed cooperatively by all nations, thereby creating a platform for unity and universal cooperative development? How often has a country's leadership provoked its nation into war under the guise of defending it? That never happens. That's fiction, right? No it isn't. And neither is it fiction that America once had invited the world, especially the Soviet Union, to cooperatively develop a global Strategic Defense Initiative based on new physical principles. The goal was to protect all mankind from the 65,000 nuclear bombs it had created to eradicate one-another. It is also a historic fact that the Soviets refused. Evidence exists that the Soviets even demanded that the author of the strategic defense proposal be imprisoned, who was promptly incarcerated for five years on contrived charges. His name is Lyndon H. LaRouche Jr., America's most widely known and globally respected economist. He had warned the Soviets that if they continued their own strategic defense in isolation, the economic burden would burn out their economy in five years. The Soviet Union collapsed in six years. Looking back today, this part of history still looks like a saga of pure fiction, as do many associated elements of this part of history. || - page index - || - chapter index - || - Exit - ||
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